Plan In Motion

Booth smelled the food and gave her one more kiss. "I am starvin' like Marvin" Booth said as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

"Booth, you are not starving and I don't know who Marvin is but should we take him some food?"

Booth just laughed and dug into his bacon cheeseburger while Bones stabbed some lettuce on her fork. For the millionth time, Booth just smiled and thanked God that he answered his prayer on Christmas Eve.

"I love you, Bones"

"Yes, I know and I love you too, now eat because you think better on a full stomach. We have to think of something."

Booth talked about his boring day and Brennan told of the Civil War woman she identified as a cotton field worker as he was finishing up his apple pie. Stuffed yet happy Booth grabbed Brennan's hand to lead her to the sofa.

"Ok, Bones, tell me about this shindig, Angela is throwing. And yes I didn't call her back because she has these voodoo powers for relationship scoop. So, I was avoiding her," he said with his best charming smile.

Brennan hits him on the arm "So, you left me to fend for myself?" she laughed.

"You have Angela blocking powers that I don't so, yeah, I did." He kissed her nose before he got up to pace. "Okay, so back to the party"

"It is a masquerade party at the Ritz Carlton's penthouse suite. They reserved a few of us rooms so we don't have to travel after consuming copious amounts of alcohol."

Booth groaned, "A masquerade party, like Phantom of the Opera mask? UGH!" Booth smiled slowly at first "Wait this could work in our favor, babe!"

"How? You have to reveal yourself at some point."

"Yes but we don't have to be there when they do. We can go incognito like we are undercover at a sting"

Brennan smiled "You know this means no cocky belt buckle or cartoon socks. Those are complete dead giveaway that it is you. Also, no smiling," Bones said with a deep stern voice.

"Ahhh Bones, no smiling? I'm gonna be dancing with the most beautiful in the world and I can't smile? That is just wrong!" he said as he pulled her into his arms and started dancing with her.

Bones laughed as she was twirled around by the man who was her best friend.

"You need to call her back or at least send an email to Angela. Just say you got the message and you will be there at the party. And most importantly, do not give any details of what you are wearing. Now, I have a plan." She said as she pulled him back to the couch to sit on his lap to kiss him for the rest of their lunch hour.

After another quick cold shower, number 35, Booth drove back to the Hoover building. He turned back on his computer to email Angela that he will be at the Ritz about 7.

Booth was in a great mood, life was really going his way. He needed to find a mask. Booth picked up the phone, punched a few numbers then told Agent Charlie Burns to come in his office ASAP.

"Sir, you need something?" Agent Burns said as he knocked on the door.

Booth jumped up from behind desk and slapped the agent on his back. "Charlie, my man, I need your help, you got me?"

"Yeah, Booth, anything you need. What can I do?"

"Great, I need you to find me a mask"

"Mask? Like a hockey mask for your game tonight?" Charlie asked.

"Uh, no, not that kind of mask! I'm, uh, going to a masquerade party and need a mask… a manly mask not one that has feathers and crap. Can you do that? Get me , you know, a manly man mask?"

Charlie laughed. Booth did not. Charlie stopped laughing "oh you are serious! Oh okay, yeah I'll find you one. Give me umm 4 hours?"

"Charlie, you have 3 hours, now go!" Booth ordered as Charlie ran out of the office.

Booth got back on the computer to check his email. He scanned down the list: Hacker, Rebecca, Hacker, Hacker, Bones, and Angela. He read Angela's email. She confirmed the dress code, time and location. Next, he opened the email from Bones. It was all business as she had mentioned late one night that work was work and they were to keep these lives separate as possible. However, it was agreed upon that text messages were personal.

Still bored, Booth sent out a text.

"Working on mask. You?"

"Going to be late tonight, shopping with Angela. – Bones"

"Ok, want me to wait to make dinner?"

"No, going to eat then shop. –Bones"

"Why do you sign your text with 'Bones'?" he typed to make the day go faster.

"Because if I didn't end it like that then you know someone else has used my phone to contact you which could be a trap. – Bones"

Booth fell in love with her logical brain all over again as she thought of his safety.

"Gotcha, love you, Bones!"

"See you tonight – BIInes

Darn auto correct - BONES"

Booth laughed at his beautiful scientist then went back to work.

Brennan finished her last text to Booth when Cam and Angela came into her office. "Sweetie, we are checking out of here early and going to hit the malls before the snow starts up again." Angela said as she physically moved Brennan from her chair and how the door while Cam grabbed Brennan's coat and purse.

After dinner, Angela took over the conversion as Brennan drove her Highlander to the dress shop. Angela was in the front seat while Cam was in the back refreshing her makeup.

"Have you ladies started looking for your masks?" asked Angela excitedly.

Both women said they had no.

"Perfect because I was thinking that I could create your masks to match your dresses. You know now important is it to coordinate these things," Angela decided as the women entered the shop.

Each woman went to their sizes and pulled a couple of dresses to try on. Cam was the first to come out of the dressing rooms in a deep purple dress. Angela was second with a red number that showed her baby bump nicely. Brennan, who was last, wasn't sure of the midnight blue sequence dress as it was extremely low cut in the back. When she stepped out of the dressing room, the other women just stopped and stared. The blue from the dress turned Brennan's eyes a deeper blue while the shape of the dress highlighted every curve she had in a very good way.

"Brennan, you might give your date a heart attack! You are so buying that dress" Angela said breathlessly as she fanned herself. "Wow! I may be married and pregnant now, but you are HOT! I mean it Sweetie are drop dead gorgeous in that!" Cam agreed. "Dr. Brennan, your date will not be able to take his eyes off you.